Why We Are Where We Are Part 25
The Wake-up Herald
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Romans 13:11-14
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Robert McCurry, Editor & Publisher
May 17, 2012
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Why We Are Where We Are
Part 25
A cuddly cub, a devouring lion and a den of evil (Part 1)
Evil adj. = 1. Harmful;that which causes ruin or destruction; 2. Morally bad or wrong; wicked 3. immoral behaviour, esp in sexual matters; licentiousness; profligacy or promiscuitycharacterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous.
Television was introduced in 1928. Color television was introduced to the public in the 1950s, but the cost—$500 to $1300—was prohibitive to most families; black and white sets—$130 to $300—were the norm; the decade of 1950s is known as "the Golden Age of Television." Every family tried their best to get a TV; it was a novelty and one of the sources of cheaper, simpler entertaining media; by the end of the 1950s, Americans owned more than 50 million TVs.
The entrance of television into the American home was a quantum leap into the future that would forever change the culture; in the not-too-distant-past a cultural change would take 30+ years; television enables a cultural change to take place several times between breakfast and lunch. But television is here to stay.
A TV set is not ‘moral’ or ‘immoral.’ A TV set is an amoral device consisting of a combination of wires, transistors and other electronic components that, when properly connected becomes an electronic device that receives television signals and displays them on a screen with accompanying sound. This amoral devise, however, is an instrument that can be used for the propagation of ‘good’ or ‘evil’’; Alas! Under the control of evil people it has become a conduit that transmits primarily immoral, harmful and destructive information to viewers of all ages. For this reason, some families do not own a TV set; others impose restrictions on viewing privileges; for many, there’s a television in every room with no viewing restrictions.
I remember the thundering warning of Evangelist Lester Roloff in the 1950s for Christians not to purchase a television. Through a prophetic voice he said: “Today television is a harmless, cuddly lion cub; tomorrow this harmless, cuddly lion cub will be a roaring, devouring lion that will destroy your children and family. You had better heed God’s Word in Psalm 101:3, ‘I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.’”
Brother Roloff was right.
Hollywood: The Den of evil
The first place my parents took me after my home birth was to Sunday school and church and that was the routine every week thereafter, plus Sunday and Wednesday night, revivals and camp meeting. It was here that my Biblical Christian faith was formed and nurtured.
I was also taught Christian behavior guidelines; the Ten Commandments; honesty, moral purity, modesty; abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, gambling, dancing and theatre attendance. I incorporated and maintained these guidelines in my Gospel preaching ministry. It was not until the 1970s that the expressions ‘Legalism’ and ‘Phariseism’ became buzz words of those in opposition to these and other Biblical references regarding holiness and worldliness. Sin was redefined and so-called ‘Christian Liberty’ preaching blurred or eradicated preaching of Biblical holiness. Biblical absolutes were replaced with secular religious relativism.
Hollywood, like the liquor industry, has many defenders but it has no defense.
Hollywood is the largest source of smut, immorality, violence, corruption and filth in America. It can be said of Hollywood’s greedy evil men and women: 1st Kings 21:20, “...thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.”
Sadly, many ‘Christians’ continue to support Hollywood with their theatre attendance. The rational goes like this. “I know this movie contains ‘cursing’ and/or ‘sexual scenes’ but these ‘scenes’ are not that much and not that bad.” Question. How much is too much and how bad is too bad? Ruth Caye Jones said it well in her song,
In Times Like These
In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
A cuddly cub, a devouring lion and a den of evil (Part 2): Antidote for Evil
A partial review from Part 1: I remember the thundering warning of Evangelist Lester Roloff in the 1950s for Christians not to purchase a television. Through a prophetic voice he said: “Today television is a harmless, cuddly lion cub; tomorrow this harmless, cuddly lion cub will be a roaring, devouring lion that will destroy your children, family and America. You had better heed God’s Word in Psalm 101:3, ‘I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.’”
He was right. But few listened. In just a short time, the number of households with televisions increased dramatically. In 1950, 3.9 million households had televisions and in just five years that number was 30.7 million households. By the end of the 1950s, Americans owned more than 50 million TVs. By 1997 the figure soared to 219 million. Today, 99% of households own at least one set and many households have multiple sets.
Television is now a permanent fixture in American culture; in homes, restaurants, hospital room’s, hotels/motels—even jails; there are now hundreds of TV stations with 24/7 programming on every subject accessible to everyone.
Television is power; Your mind becomes a pliable tool; Your view of reality is shaped; Television is hypnosis; Your mind becomes open to suggestion; Your opinions are shaped; Your perception of reality is molded; You are told what to think; Public opinion is engineered; You are told what is important; You are told what is relevant; You are told what to believe; Television is propaganda; The plan is to keep you dumbed down, to keep you occupied, to keep you distracted; Why is this poisonous box of lying, deceiving, corrupting, brainwashing filth still the focal point of most family living rooms?
The populous, with a few exceptions, have been deceived.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).
“This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle [belt; loin cloth], which is good [profitable] for nothing” (Jer 13:10). “They have corrupted themselves … they are a perverse and crooked generation” (Deut 32:5).
The Christian’s antidote for evil: God’s Word
“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God: but he that does evil has not seen God” (III John 1:11).
Christians are commanded: “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Eph 5:11).
fellowship n.1. the state of sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc. 2. a society of people sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc.; club. 3. companionship; friendship.
reprove v.To voice or convey disapproval of; rebuke.
Eph 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
“Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1Thess 5:22). Matthew Henry says:
We should therefore abstain from evil, and all appearances of evil, from sin, and that which looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of sin, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to sin, will not long abstain from the actual commission of sin.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt 7:13, 14).
Furthermore, 1 Peter, 1:14-16, states that “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Wake-up, Pastors! Wake-up, Christians!
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The Wake-Up Herald is published by Robert McCurry. The publication is designed to exalt the true God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ, and inform, inspire, and challenge its readers regarding biblical truth and real-life issues. The contents are the sole responsibility of Robert McCurry and do not represent or speak for or on behalf of any other person or group. There is no subscription charge. The publication is a ministry of faith dependent on the contributions of its readers. Contributions are not tax-deductible. Send all correspondence to: Robert McCurry,605 Moore Rd, Newnan, GA 30263 or herbap@aol.com Remove? Send reply with “remove” in Subject line
